Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Military 50 years ago today

On June 15th, 1973 I raised my right hand and said "yep" and took the bus ride to Ft. Leonard Wood Missouri. It's been 50 years since I was on the Ft. Des Moines property. 50 years and one day later I was back to get my daughter married on what was former Ft. Des Moines property now known as the Blank Park Zoo. Where the heck did 50 years go ??

At one time Ft. Des Moines was home to the 25th Infantry division. It was the home to what was known as the Buffalo Soldiers cavalry. In WWII it was the primary training base for the Army WACS. The buildings are looking bad and it hasn't been used by the military for at least 20 years. So much history just decaying away.

kwg

I've always thought it was sad that our government just let military installations die.

Personally I don't think the Federal Government should ever give away anything that was a military installation.

It belongs to the people, but developers and politicians always want it to make a quick buck.

When the next real war comes, were are they going to train people they need to fight our enemies?

The money we blow on welfare and welfare fraud, needs to stop and spending it on maintaining a strong military is what needs to be done.

Our entire nation, via the Federal Government does nothing but prostitute this nation further into hell on a daily basis.

In the 80s, I use to visit Ft Des Moines quite often when I was down that way on business...

Growing up as a military brat, I look at these installation, as old neighborhoods, where I use to live.

The military is our defense against those who would destroy us...

sadly DC Politicians, are the biggest enemy of our nation.... because its all about them, not our nation.

The buildings on the old section of Ft. Sam Houston and Ft. Des Moines look to be built from the same plans at about the same time. (early 1900's) That tells me that Ft. Des Moines was at one point just as important of an Army post as Ft. Sam Houston. It's too bad Ft. Des Moines was allowed to fall into complete disrepair while Ft. Sam has gained prominence. Did politics play a part ??

kwg

Being medical corps in the Army, I've spent some time on Ft Sam several periods of time....

and have stayed in those old early 1900s built barracks. Those were solid old buildings.

Politics always plays a part in those type of decisions...

The Pentagon and Congress really don't give a damn about some of the old vintage bases.

Growing up as a dependent, when we lived in England, from 63 to 66, the Pentagon closed 10 Air Bases, in 63 and 64, that they had just reequipped in 62. The Limeys were buying one and 2 year old station wagons and Ford Pickups, for $100 on base deposal. As a 12 year old, I bought an entire set of Encyclopedia Britannica for a dollar off one of the Base libraries that closed down... the set was a year old.. I was a proud 11 year old...

These closures have always bothered me... they just throw things away. At 11 y/o, I thought that was throwing tax payer money in the garbage.

Look at the Hueys they just flew out to ships with evacuees and then just shoved the chopper overboard. I flew on a Huey crew ( Med Evac ) for 2 years... that drove me nuts also.

Out of Kelly Heliport, Ft. Sam ??

kwg

I was discharged a little over 50 years ago. By this date in 1973, my hair was getting long enough, I could get by as a civilian.

That discarding of history always bothered me, too.

And one thing I have repeatedly found is that most of the younger folks today have no idea at all about real history. But what can you expect when , as recently reported, 50% of the millenials believe that 'misgendering' someone should be a crime.

50 yrs ago, Igot out of the service after 8 yrs active duty. Time sure flys! Got discharged March 29, 1973. Still can't remember birthdays though!

Thank you for your service

I think Nov 12 63, I got on a train at Storm Lake Iowa to basic training at Fort Leonard Wood.

I'm late to the party but from Dan's OP date I had finished my Vietnam deployment '69 -'70 as well as the balance of my enlistment here at Offutt AFB and been back in civilian attire for 12 months..

What a ride !

Yep, what a ride. 50 years ago I was stationed at McCoy AFB, Orlando (KC-135’s) packing up the base ref base closing and handing it to Orlando Airport. Orders to Plattsburgh AFB, NY (FB-111’s and 135’s). The memories of that time are like a fart in the wind.

50 years ao. I was just getting out of the AF after 8 yrs. Discharged out of Kalispell Air Force Station! Geeze time sure flys!